European officials claimed Wednesday that a preliminary decision by the world's top trade court found that aid to U.S. aircraft maker Boeing violated international rules, leading to the prospect that the Chicago-based planemaker may have to forgo or even pay back billions in subsidies.

As airline losses from the volcanic ash cloud spiraled over $1 billion on Monday, the industry demanded EU compensation and criticized European governments for relying too much on scientific theory not fact in their decisions to shut down airspace across the continent.

Mideast rivals Israel and Syria announced Tuesday ambitions to develop nuclear energy. Israel faced the prospect that its plan could bring new international attention to its secretive nuclear activities.

The French government on Monday announced a thorough investigation into the shutdown of the Eurostar, as the suspension of the only passenger rail link between Britain and continental Europe entered its third day, hitting holiday travel plans for some 55,000 people.

She's French. She's female. And she is causing quite a stir. Christine Lagarde, the first woman finance minister for a G-8 nation, was rated the best minister in President Nicolas Sarkozy's government last month by one of France's top-selling newspapers. Not bad for a political newcomer who only two years ago was unknown outside legal and business circles, and who is vocally pro-market in a capitalism-wary nation.